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I don't expect to get anything with a contract, but are they consecutive or concurrent if someone is already under contract for doing something like getting a DVR?

Agreements go the duration of the time frame from the date the get applied. Promotional discounts apply the agreement the date it's accepted, and equipment applies them the date that it's activated. Agreement end dates are based on the date of the last agreement that has applied.

Why would they offer to discount one or more of the movie channels when they are already part of the package anyway? It's not an option for me to drop one or the other movie channel with Premier. I wish they would offer to discount one or more of the DVRs or free HD for a year or more, etc. I guess I'll never know until I ask.

The why and what of discounts is a real crap shoot. For all the posts talking about the official line, it really isn't that at all. It depends on your account. What level of programming, how long you've been with them, what unpublished promos are available when you call, the mood of the CSR, your approach to them and then there's the magic 8 ball!

I'm still under contract and recently called to drop from Premier to Xtra with no premiums as my bill had gotten a bit out of hand. When the dust settled after the call, the bill went down to about $8 more than Xtra w/no Premiums and I kept Premier. It is a mix of different discounts with varying lengths of time up to 6 months.

There are lots of reports of the same for most that have called to drop from Premier, not at all uncommon.

I just got off the phone with a 2nd line CSR, and finally got $10 off for 2 years, but it's no longer an HD Access credit. It's coming off my base package.
I've been a customer since the USSB days, and subscribed to Premier for a majority of those years, and they still made me fight for the credit.
They told me that the email and postcard I received wasn't an offer for an additional 2 years of HD Access credit, just a "reminder" of what I needed to do to keep the credit (which ended for me in June, so why send it out then? They couldn't wrap their heads around that one).
I was offered $10 off for 6 months or $10 off for 24 months with a new 2 year commitment.
Didn't like those options, so ask for someone else that might be able to help. She got her supervisor on the line and after a lot of back and forth on the interpretation of the email and postcard, she agreed to give me $10 off for 2 years with no commitment.
I asked about getting a HR34 and was quoted full price of $399 and $49 install. No love there.
It seems DirectTV has too many departments with their own sets of rules. It depends on who you talk to. It really is a crap shoot as to what offer you may get.

I don't expect to get anything with a contract, but are they consecutive or concurrent if someone is already under contract for doing something like getting a DVR?

They told me the other night that if I had 6 months left on a contract (for example) and I then got equipment which required a 2 year contract, it would be 2 years from that date. In other words, the 2 years would not be tacked onto the remaining 6 months on the previous contract.

Free HD well i see i am not the only one taking a hit on my bill. I to called to to see why my bill went up $10, told the guy that i been with you 9 years. So the guy took off $10 for 1 year and $10 more for the package price $20 i can deal with that it will pay for my HBO.

I got the two year free hd service when they offered the lifetime free service to new subscribers about two years ago like many others as a long term subscriber. In June this year I received an email indicating I was being automatically extended an additional two years, thanking me for my continued patronage. I was not given the free service after June and was being charged the $10 for July and August. I called and the CSR indicated the "promotion" had expired, but that she would go on and give me the two year credit for hd service. She didn't seem to know anything about the email I received. Apparently the email generator doesn't talk to the billing department about these emailed committments.

Edit...my credit is showing up against the package cost and not the HD service as it did before.

I looked at my September statement and the 24-mo Free HD Acess credit was missing, so I called and "billing" advised me that my 24 months were expired. She offered me a $5/mo discount for 3 months. I told her that I had received the postcard that said I would receive the discount. She couldn't offer any more than the $5, so she transferred me to the "Customer Experience Dept". They gave me $10 off for 12 months, and stressed that it was a temporary offer. We can only hope that the HD fee will be dropped, or that this credit can be extended.

I looked at my September statement and the 24-mo Free HD Acess credit was missing, so I called and "billing" advised me that my 24 months were expired. She offered me a $5/mo discount for 3 months. I told her that I had received the postcard that said I would receive the discount. She couldn't offer any more than the $5, so she transferred me to the "Customer Experience Dept". They gave me $10 off for 12 months, and stressed that it was a temporary offer. We can only hope that the HD fee will be dropped, or that this credit can be extended.

Or we can slowly realize that this was just a promotion to compete with Dish, which started free HD for life at about the same time, and hid the HD fee in their inflated receiver fees. On another note, I called up and they gave me free DVR service for a year and $5 off for 6 months. Close enough.

Last year around the time folks were getting the HD credit for 24 months I called to see if I could join in on the fun. I was told that the $10/month for 24 months was not available but that I could get $20/month for 12 months. Worked for me. So this year I tried again and after a couple of attempts I was able to get the $20 credit extended for another year.

Add one more to the crowd. The $10 credit dropped off my bill this month. I had a real fight with the CSR but the best I could get was $5 off a month for 6 months, plus $5 off HBO for 6 months (I wasn't planning on keeping HBO). Now I'll to fight all over again in 6 months.

Based on the responses lately, it looks like the Free HD credit is dead. I was going to call and try to get HD credit in exchange for auto-payment from my visa. I normally don't allow a company to deduct from my account for payment without me initiating the payment each month. It would have been worth it for $10 savings.

Has anyone been able to successfully get HD credit lately? I know they are giving credit not designated as HD credit. If credit is an HD credit, I can potentially stack other credits in the future.

Based on the responses lately, it looks like the Free HD credit is dead. I was going to call and try to get HD credit in exchange for auto-payment from my visa. I normally don't allow a company to deduct from my account for payment without me initiating the payment each month. It would have been worth it for $10 savings.

Has anyone been able to successfully get HD credit lately? I know they are giving credit not designated as HD credit. If credit is an HD credit, I can potentially stack other credits in the future.

I'm with you on allowing companies to access my accounts. What I do is to pay a month in advance so there's never any need for them to pull a charge. Next I created a virtual credit card (BofA, Citi and maybe others offer them) with a $10 limit. I used that as the card on file with DirecTV. If I ever decide to leave DirecTV I don't have to worry since all they have on file is a card with a $10 limit. As long as I keep paying one month in advance the card is never accessed by them.

You don't have to pay 30 days in advance. I think they charge credit cards the same day the bill is created. So, if you pay a couple of days before that day, you're ok.

That worked for the past 2 years. Now it's become a battle to get the discount even with autopay. If you're new to the $10 credit it should work easily for you.

If you don't use the BofA or Citi you can also get prepaid credit cards at places like Walmart. Get one with a minimal amount on it and see if that will work with DirecTV.

I have had Auto Bill Pay forever for this and a couple of my other bills.
I also use the Paperless Billing.
Each of the companies send me an email in advance of when they take out the money that shows the charges and the date that it will happen.
I have not had any problems with that so far.

The last time I called for the HD discount they told me they would do it. When I got the next bill it was indeed a reduction of the "Package" price and did not mention HD.
I am OK with that as long as it lowers my bill.

Based on the responses lately, it looks like the Free HD credit is dead. I was going to call and try to get HD credit in exchange for auto-payment from my visa. I normally don't allow a company to deduct from my account for payment without me initiating the payment each month. It would have been worth it for $10 savings.

Has anyone been able to successfully get HD credit lately? I know they are giving credit not designated as HD credit. If credit is an HD credit, I can potentially stack other credits in the future.

I was able to get it added back to my account by talking to customer retention. The CSR was very nice and said, I will go ahead and add the Free HD for 24 months ($10 credit). This credit was on top of the $5 for 24 months another regular representative gave me. I was upset that the credit would not say FREE HD in my bill and it would be harder for me to add it again in 24 months. Now it's listed as is..

I was able to get it added back to my account by talking to customer retention. The CSR was very nice and said, I will go ahead and add the Free HD for 24 months ($10 credit). This credit was on top of the $5 for 24 months another regular representative gave me. I was upset that the credit would not say FREE HD in my bill and it would be harder for me to add it again in 24 months. Now it's listed as is..

With the amount of money DirecTV loses to "retention" and cancellation calls, maybe it's high time they address the root of the problem? Oh, high programming costs? Yeah right. Say one thing, do another.

I was a new subscriber in November of 2010 and thought I had the free HD for life until the $10 credit stopped this past month. I found my original confirmation which states:

Free HD Access. At least 1 HD receiver, activation of HD Access and a programming package of CHOICE EXTRA™ and above, MAS ULTRA™ and above, or PREFERRED CHOICE™ are required to maintain the Free HD Access credit. Should you choose to down grade below a qualifying programming package and/or cancel HD service or Auto Bill Pay, the $10 monthly "Free HD Access" credit will be removed from your account and you won't be able to re-enroll.

I spoke with retentions today and they too were not sure why it was dropped or if I was still entitled to it. Long story short - they could not add it back in and gave me an $8 / month dvr fee credit for a year. Has any new subscriber in 2010 when they had this promo have the same issue? I'm going to call back in a few months and bring this up with them again.